The Toyota Celica has long been a familiar nameplate among sporty Japanese coupes, and the model eventually became a bit of a hot rod with various trims offering turbocharged engines, high-strung 4-cylinders, and optional all-wheel drive. But like every lineup with a performance model attached, we can forget about the entry-level offerings that became the high-volume seller, making it possible for high-octane versions to exist. This 1983 Toyota Celica GT listed here on eBay is about as basic as it gets, but it’s also a rarely-seen example of Toyota’s early third-generation model.
The A60 era ushered in a new, muscular version of Toyota’s sports coupe, with the top-trim GT-S version getting loaded up with cosmetic enhancements reflective of 1980s styling trends. Fender flares, wide wheels, sports bucket seats, and rear window louvers made for a very gussied-up Celica that did its best to imitate the powerful Supra at a lower price point. While enthusiasts today will bid a fair amount for a clean GT-S, the more basic models like this GT hatchback don’t get nearly as much attention. This one stands out not only for its awesome rear window louvers but also for its rust-free condition, which is almost impossible to find on an early 80s Japanese car.
Thankfully, the Celica has the preferred 5-speed manual gearbox. You find a lot of these equipped with automatics for reasons similar to what we just wrote about with the equally essential Chevrolet Camaro: manufacturers made their money on the entry-level sports coupe and, more often than not, had the automatic transmission option checked as the target buyer wasn’t concerned with rowing their own gears. If you put a similar Camaro and Celica head-to-head, you’d absolutely find more Camaro buyers opting for the automatic, so it’s not totally surprising to see three pedals in the Toyota. This spartan interior is holding up well, although I’d swap in the deeply bolstered GT-S seats if it were mine.
It’s somewhat incredible how many vehicles Toyota stuck the workhorse 22R-E engine into. If I were a road test editor at the time, I’d be inclined to groan every time I popped the hood and found yet another industrial-grade 4-cylinder in the engine bay of the latest Toyota. At the time, however, Toyota was wise enough to keep doing what it did best: producing economical cars that ran on low-grade gas and were cheap to maintain, all of which this engine achieved. It’d be great to hear about some basic belts and fluid changes in the case of this well-preserved Celica. Bids are sitting at almost $5,000 with no reserve, and I expect it will quickly clear that number.
I had one these back in the 90’s same year as this one. Automatic transmission went out. I pulled my Sawzall out of my tool box and cut it in half and hauled it to the metal scrap yard.
Sawzalled the tranny, or the whole car?!?!?
Here’s our Granddaughter’s first car,paid for with her
own money.It’s an automatic,& would be much nicer with
a 5 speed.
I also had an ’83 in the early 90s with an A/T. It ran fine–good dependable transportation. Didn’t corner great but I got it >100+ MPH on a trip near Canyonlands. It got strafed stem-to-stern while parked on a busy street. Totalled, I bought it back cheap from the insurance co. and primered over it and drove it until I picked up a 90 Miata. Sold it to a junkyard. People give you a wide berth when merging on the highway when the left side of your car has bent metal and a rattle-can primer paint job! It was a decent, reliable car for the time.Much more solid than a lot of the other cheap econoboxes popular at the time.
Lovely looking car. Although I was too young to drive a car at the time, I remember when this generation Toyota Celica was intro’d to the public. I don’t see a price listed here, but given its condition, I’d be willing to pay close to $3000 for the car. Assuming any rust shown is superficial, and the body is solid as is the frame, I’d clean it up, make sure everything works, and then enjoy it. After a few years, I may sell it for close to the original asking price and then look for a similar vintage Celica Supra.
Neal , the whole car. Started at the sunroof openings . I had a ten foot open trailer . Two loads to the metal scrap yard. The metal scrap yard guy laughed
the first time I showed up. Perhaps I should have found a 5 speed manual at a wreaking yard and did a swap
I had a new ‘82 exactly like this but w/o the louvers. My first stick. I loved that car… until a garbage truck backed into the right rear a year later. Even with expert bodywork it never seemed the same to me. Sold it in ‘84 to get money for a house. If I had someplace to park this baby, I’d be tempted.
My buddy Randy had one of these 5sp 22RE, he was quite the handyman excelled at everything he did. He deleted all the rust and Hoses. We would trade on friday afternoons if he needed my toyota 5 speed 4×4 SR5 truck. Fun car comfortable spartan utility in cars n trucks i miss the 80s.
I had a 84 gt,put 200,000 miles on it had it for 11 years and the only thing I had to do to it was a clutch